Whip John Barrasso on energy policy, Code Pink denied, and more!
Sen. John Barrasso talks energy; Code Pink meets the hard end of the gavel; Heard on the Hill; and more!
March 25, 2025
Let’s dive in.
INTERVIEW: Sen. John Barrasso on GOP agenda, foreign policy, and energy independence: "The war on American energy is over"
Heard on the Hill
EXCLUSIVE: DENIED: Code Pink thrown out and barred from open Senate intel hearing
K-STREET, 10,000 FEET: Accenture’s US Army contract raises potential monopoly and corruption concerns
OPINIONATED: The Reporter Editorial Team on the Trump admin’s signal chat and Rep. Burgess Owens on the future of the Department of Education.
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INTERVIEW: Sen. John Barrasso on GOP agenda, foreign policy, and energy independence: "The war on American energy is over"
by Matthew Foldi
THE LOWDOWN:
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R., Wyo.), is relishing in making history amid Democrat dissonance.
The Democrats’ division comes at a particularly opportune time for Senate Republicans, who are poised to score a series of conservative fiscal wins via the budget reconciliation process.
Beyond protecting entitlements from fraud, Barrasso added that “Republicans in Congress are laser-focused on delivering our shared agenda to secure the border, bringing back peace through strength, stopping a $4.5 trillion Democrat tax increase, and making America energy dominant.”
Barrasso told the Reporter that “President Trump is the best chance for peace between Ukraine and Russia” and that the “killing and bloodshed needs to come to an end.”
The chaos embroiling Senate Democrats is music to the ears of Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R., Wyo.). While Democrats are deliberating whether or not they should oust Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) as their leader, Republicans are busy making history, he told the Washington Reporter in a new interview.
“Senate Republicans confirmed President Trump’s cabinet at a historic pace, faster than Democrats confirmed President Obama’s cabinet in 2009,” Barrasso said, noting that, on the other hand, “Democrats continue to thumb their noses at American voters.”
“Democrats hate that President Trump won the popular vote and every single battleground state on his way back to the White House,” he continued. “They’re mad about being in the minority in Congress. It’s no surprise to see Democrat approval ratings are at an all-time low.”
The Democrats’ division comes at a particularly opportune time for Senate Republicans, who are poised to score a series of conservative fiscal wins via the budget reconciliation process. While “Democrats are going to throw a wrench at every turn,” Barrasso said they “don’t have the votes to stop us from delivering for the American people.”
The lawmaker added that he did want to “set the record straight” regarding a “major misconception regarding Medicare and Medicaid” that has been promulgated by both Democrats and their allies in the media. Barrasso said that “Republicans fully support these important programs,” adding that “the real threat to Medicare and Medicaid came from the last administration.”
“Joe Biden and the Democrats weakened these programs and made them vulnerable to scammers,” Barrasso said. “Republicans are committed to protecting, preserving, and strengthening these programs.”
Beyond protecting entitlements from fraud, Barrasso added that “Republicans in Congress are laser-focused on delivering our shared agenda to secure the border, bringing back peace through strength, stopping a $4.5 trillion Democrat tax increase, and making America energy dominant.”
On the other hand, Democrats are currently “held hostage by the far-left wing of their party,” he noted. “They support wide-open borders and biological men competing in women’s sports — policies the majority of Americans don’t want.”
For Barrasso, supporting the Trump administration’s moves to make America energy independent again is both good politics and good policy for his home state of Wyoming.
“My goal is to make energy as clean as we can, as fast as we can, without raising costs on American families. The Trump administration wants exactly the same thing. Energy security is national security. We can’t compete with China if we’re handcuffing American energy producers at every turn. President Trump understands this too. That’s why he and his team are moving quickly to provide greater energy security, more jobs, and a stronger economy.”
HEARD ON THE HILL
BIGGEST MOVES: President Donald Trump announced that Alina Habba will serve as the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. Get to know her better by reading our interview with her here.
BREAKING TIES, TAKING NAMES: Senate Republicans expect to overturn the Biden CFPB’s overdraft rule this week, although 1-2 Republican members are likely to vote with the Democrats and Vice President JD Vance may be needed to break the tie.
PRICE WARS: The Senate Judiciary Committee will be marking up several health care bills this week including a bill to crack down on the drug middlemen’s role in raising prices.
A message from our sponsor.
Medicaid helps provide security to our friends and neighbors, providing high-quality care for more than 72 million Americans, including children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Congress should vote against efforts to reduce Medicaid funding and instead focus on policies that strengthen access to 24/7 care.
EXCLUSIVE: DENIED: Code Pink thrown out and barred from open Senate intel hearing: “everyone hates” them
by the Washington Reporter and Matthew Foldi
THE LOWDOWN:
Sen. Tom Cotton threw anti-American Code Pink protesters out of the SSCI hearing where President Donald Trump’s national security A-team appeared before the Senate to deliver its assessment of threats to America.
Code Pink disrupted the hearing, as it has done to GOP-led hearings in the past, but this time it was met with the heavy end of Cotton’s gavel for doing so.
For years, Code Pink’s detractors have highlighted reports connecting the left-wing, anti-American organization to funding from sources tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
It wasn’t only Code Pink protesters who embarrassed themselves during the hearing — Senate Democrats joined the leftist activist group in its dumpster fire endeavor. Sen. Mark Warner (D., Va.) shrieked at Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), in a manner that had some observers wondering if sexism played a role.
Only once in a blue moon does the Permanent Select Senate Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) hold an open hearing. Much rarer is when people are thrown out of said hearing, which the Washington Reporter can exclusively confirm happened due to the leadership of Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.).
Cotton threw anti-American Code Pink protesters out of the SSCI hearing where President Donald Trump’s national security A-team appeared before the Senate to deliver its assessment of threats to America. Trump’s team will appear before the House tomorrow.
Code Pink disrupted the hearing, as it has done to GOP-led hearings in the past, but this time it was met with the heavy end of Cotton’s gavel for doing so.
Cotton threw several protesters out of the room and barred the rest from entering, with Capitol Police physically removing six protesters, a Senate leadership aide told the Reporter. The aide added that “everyone hates the Code Pink freaks so it was refreshing to see a Senator proactively expel them instead of letting them screech and disrupt the hearing.”
For years, Code Pink’s detractors have highlighted reports connected the left-wing, anti-American organization to funding from sources tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
It wasn’t only Code Pink protesters who embarrassed themselves during the hearing — Senate Democrats joined the leftist activist group in its dumpster fire endeavor. Sen. Mark Warner (D., Va.) shrieked at Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), in a manner that had some observers wondering if sexism played a role.
“If a Republican senator spoke to a Dem cabinet member the way Mark Warner is speaking to Dir. Gabbard, they would be admonished,” Alexa Henning, Gabbard’s Deputy Chief of Staff, remarked. “Democrats are continuing their rude behavior and just looking to score political points rather than any substantive national security discussions.”
The hearing came at a crucial time for President Donald Trump’s national security team, which is under fire for a ludicrous hit piece in The Atlantic. The Reporter previously published an editorial pushing back on the vociferous piece and its performance today won plaudits from many in Trump’s orbit.
K-STREET, 10,000 FEET:
Accenture’s US Army contract raises potential monopoly and corruption concerns
by the Washington Reporter
THE LOWDOWN:
President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has identified an under the radar monopoly, costing taxpayers billions of dollars in inefficiency through backroom deals.
In a recent General Services Administration (GSA) memo, all agencies were tasked with drastically reducing federal dependence on the largest ten consulting firms that tax the most dollars from taxpayers.
Accenture Federal Services has all but owned the DOD’s SAP contracts for decades, creating an impenetrable monopoly that even the largest companies in America refuse to take on.
One source at The House Oversight Committee tells the reporter, “We have seen abuses from monopolies before. We have seen sweetheart deals before. But we have never seen something so blatantly rigged as the Army’s Accenture contract.”
We have seen companies in many sectors across the board gain monopoly power status. From the railroads with Cornelius Vanderbilt, to the Big Tech companies with Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg. Monopolies end up crushing competition, limiting innovation, threatening freedom of speech, and ultimately costing consumers more money because they have no choices.
President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has identified an under the radar monopoly, costing taxpayers billions of dollars in inefficiency through backroom deals. This is something most Americans know is going on, but Trump and Musk seem to actually be addressing it as part of their drain the swamp mentality. Government consulting monopolies. The Trump administration is quickly attacking the issue of consulting company monopolies owning the government. Elon Musk and DOGE have exposed many schemes of taxpayer funded projects not being efficient. In a recent General Services Administration (GSA) memo, all agencies were tasked with drastically reducing federal dependence on the largest ten consulting firms that tax the most dollars from taxpayers. The largest mega sized consulting firms appear to be on the verge of massive reductions in government contracts. One Trump Administration source simply said, “it’s over”. The cuts to date have been significant, but appear to be soon ramping up as the Trump Administration begins focusing on monopolies within the Department of Defense (DOD). One unnamed DOD executive said, “the cuts in the civilian agencies are peanuts compared to what is going to happen in DOD. We won’t allow these large consulting firms to own us any longer.”
One such monopoly has been featured in the news and in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims over a billion dollar program awarded at the very end of the Biden Administration, Enterprise Business Systems - Convergence (EBS-C). Accenture Federal Services has all but owned the DOD’s SAP contracts for decades, creating an impenetrable monopoly that even the largest companies in America refuse to take on. One senior DOGE leader remarked, “It’s not lost on us that Accenture seems to win every Army and DLA SAP competition.” President Biden’s appointees in the United States Army, facing billions needed to fix all the SAP problems implemented over the decades, are alleged to have rigged the EBS-C procurement, awarding another billion in tax payers money to the long time monopoly, Accenture Federal. Although heavily redacted, court filings claim Accenture may not have even been eligible for the award, may have faked the demonstrations required for the award, and the Army may have even cherry picked award criteria to rig the procurement for the long time incumbent. It’s notable the EBS-C procurement was done by the Army using the congressionally created Other the Transaction Authority (OTA) process, to skirt Federal Acquisition Regulations and seemingly abuse the spirit of the OTA program. This lawsuit raises all sorts of questions about potential shady behind the scenes deals, and why billions more were awarded by the Biden Administration to a company that has already received many billions in taxpayer money creating these SAP messes over the decades. Claims but the Army of trying to take a new and modern direction appear to fall flat as they go right back to Accenture.
OPINIONATED
Editorial: Congressional Republicans should ignore The Atlantic's smear and back Trump's winning security team
by the Washington Reporter Editorial Team
The Atlantic’s latest hit piece, penned by liberal editor Jeffrey Goldberg, is just another tired media smear. Congressional Republicans shouldn’t fall for it. Here’s why.
First, this “scandal” is a non-issue. Even if every word is true—and that’s an assumption given the magazine’s anti-Trump obsession—National Security Advisor Michael Waltz accidentally added Goldberg to a group chat about bombing Houthi terrorists. Who hasn’t accidentally added the wrong number? The idea that this is an unprecedented calamity is laughable nonsense.
Second, the leaked chat proves Trump’s team is sharp and effective. Biden’s crew let Stone Age Houthis choke global shipping and attack U.S. vessels without consequence. Trump’s team hit back hard, restoring deterrence. No embarrassing gaffes here—just Vice President Vance smartly suggesting Europe chip in, since they benefit most, while the team executes Trump’s vision flawlessly.
The left’s playbook is predictable: pressure Republicans to denounce Trump, Waltz, or Vance to seem “reasonable.” But don’t take the bait. The left and the media doesn’t care about group chats with the wrong number—they’re furious that Trump’s killing terrorists and making America safer.
Why the feeding frenzy? The liberal media wants a scalp to hobble Trump’s team—not because of a texting slip, but because a strong national security apparatus threatens their agenda. They’d rather see America weakened, with Houthis running rampant, than admit Trump’s policies work. Every “gotcha” is a calculated strike at our safety. If the media gets a scalp over something as stupid as adding the wrong number to a text thread, they won’t stop. They’ll say this is the turning point of the Trump Administration.
Republicans should stand firm. If asked, say this: Trump’s national security team outshines Biden’s by a mile, and America’s safer for it. The Washington Reporter backs Trump and his stellar crew.
To Congressional Republicans: When reporters corner you in the halls or prod you on air, don’t bend. Defend Trump’s team. Tout their results. The Atlantic wants you to cave—starve them of that win. Your voters didn’t send you to Washington to dance to the liberal media’s tune. Stand with Trump because our national security depends on it.
Op-Ed: Rep. Burgess Owens: The Department of Education is failing, but President Trump is leading the way forward
by Rep. Burgess Owens
November 5 marked a rejection of the status quo and the mandate for change ran straight through our nation’s failing schools. Last week, President Donald Trump made good on his promise to roll back the federal government’s grip on America’s education system. Leading the charge is Education Secretary Linda McMahon, tasked with something practically unheard of in Washington: working herself out of a job.
As McMahon takes on this final mission, it’s time we ask: How did we get here? And more importantly, what comes next? In Congress, we are working to craft a new path forward — a New Golden Age for education policy — one that puts power back in the hands of parents and students, not Washington bureaucrats.
First, the disaster.
Before 1979, America’s students were at the top of global rankings in reading, writing, and math. States had the power to create systems that worked for them, aligning with our federalist structure — each state a thriving haven for innovation, focused on teaching for success, not just “teaching to test.”
In 1979, President Jimmy Carter struck a deal with America’s largest teachers’ unions to create a centralized agency. In doing so, we traded flexibility for federal formulas, innovation for compliance, and local leadership for distant oversight. Fifty years and trillions of dollars later, our learning outcomes have either stagnated or declined, as the system now fights to preserve itself instead of serving America’s students.
Today, only 30 percent of 8th graders are proficient in reading and math, and barely half of high school seniors are reading at grade level when they graduate, according to the Nation’s Report Card from 2023. Education in this country is flatlining, and if we don’t act now, we’re not just at risk of losing our competitiveness to China — which now outranks the US in reading and math scores — but to our own past, when 83 percent of 17-year-olds read grade level in 1971.
Enter President Trump and his promise to reverse this disaster by returning to what worked for nearly 200 years — local control.
Instead of forcing states to jump through hoops and comply with burdensome requirements to access the nearly $70 billion set aside for grant funding each year, Secretary McMahon is setting the stage for a block granting system. Under this system, each state will be empowered to allocate funds based on their own education needs. Whether it’s hiring more teachers, upgrading facilities, or expanding vocational programs, local leaders are in a better position to understand their communities’ needs than Washington’s unelected bureaucrats.
